Baby Boomers reach 65!

The fastest growing segment of the United States population is age 65 years and older. At current rates, demographers forecast that by the year 2025, 65 year olds will out number teenagers by almost 2 to 1. Most diseases associated with the human aging process are known to have a strong oxidative stress component. Therapies that act to lower oxidative stress represent a major approach in treating these diseases as well as intervening with the aging process itself.

Oxidative stress is a general term used to describe steady state level of oxidative damage in a cell, tissue or organ caused by free radicals. Free radicals are reactive molecules (ROS) within our bodies that can attack proteins, lipids, and DNA, causing cell damage, which can lead to cell death, and even the generation of more highly reactive free radicals. An extensive, highly effective group of protective agents and defense mechanisms referred to collectively as the Antioxidant Defense system (ADS) acts to regulate oxidative reactions. These include endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), to exogenous antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E, lipoic acid, Coenzyme Q10, and powerful groups of phytonutrients derived from vegetables and fruits such as terpenes, phytosterols, polyphenols, thiols, indoles, isoprenoids, tocotrienol and tocopherols.

Evidence shows that plant antioxidants seem to acquire a synergy when they are ingested in combination. It is better to have a whole orchestra of antioxidants in natural proportions as delivered in the matrix of whole foods. This was our rational in putting together the High ORAC Synbiotic Formula—highly researched probiotic organisms, with 250 mg of inulin as a starter food for them, combined with a powerful collection of fruits and berry extracts to provide the exogenous antioxidants.

The government slogan of 5-A-Day is for the consistent consumption of five fruits and vegetables a day supplying an average ORAC value of 2500 ORAC units. The reality is that only 5% of the U.S. population consumes 5 fruits and vegetables a day. The National Cancer Institute found that 42% of the population eats less than 2 servings a day. The average American serving per day can be as low as 300 ORAC units. The High ORAC provides 1500 ORAC units per 500mg capsule.

In today’s Clinical Notes video blog we are highlighting the High ORAC Synbiotic Formula. Sometimes people just want convenience—they simply want to take a capsule. The Triple Berry Probiotic, which we highlighted last week, and the High ORAC Synbiotic Formula are products that contain good bugs and berries, excellent sources for our five a day. We added to the High ORAC Formula of 25 billion good bacteria (a 50-50 mix of L. acidophilus and B. longum per capsule) a veritable fruit bowel of berry extracts along with 250 mg of inulin (a soluble fiber that’s food for the probiotics). What is extracted from the whole fruits and berries for this product are their pigments—purples from the blueberries and bilberries, reds from the cherries and pomegranates, yellow from the pineapple and so on. It is in the pigment that the anti-inflammatories and the antioxidants reside. For the smaller space of a capsule we use extracts to maximize their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defensive punch. Per capsule the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity) is 1500.

The Last Quiz Answer:

This is the Butterfly Fish, found mostly on reefs in all oceans of the world. There are around 120 species of this creature ranging in size from five inches to one foot. This particular butterfly species is of the larger size. They have an unusual growth cycle, only one other fish has a similar pattern. First, buoyant eggs are released into the water. They become part of the plankton and drift with the current until hatching. The fry go through a stage where the body is covered in large boney plates extending from the head. They lose these bony plates as they mature. I saw a lot of these in Micronesia. The larger ones were quite delicious.

Don’ forget the check on The Run from time to time. In this link you’ll see the begin this past Sunday of Dr. Godby and friends epic 13,000 mile run.Speaking of running, here an amazing video of an extremely Lucky Penguin.